Malaysia Will Have Official Discussions With North Korea When The Time Comes

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Bernama) — Malaysia will have an official discussion with North Korea concerning the nine Malaysian nationals, who were barred from leaving that country, when the time comes, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

However, the Prime Minister did not give details of the discussions including the date for the meeting.

“When the time comes, we will have formal discussions with North Korea,” he told reporters when asked to comment on current developments on the Kuala Lumpur-Pyongyang meeting on the matter, at the Parliament Lobby, today.

He also reiterated that the safety of all the Malaysian nationals was assured and everyone here should not worry about it.

Asked whether Malaysia was currently carrying out informal discussions with North Korea, Najib, however, declined to comment.

He also did not give a reply when asked whether Malaysia would exchange the suspect in the murder of Kim Jong-nam who is still in this country with the Malaysian nationals there.

North Korea had previously issued a directive prohibiting Malaysian nationals from leaving that country, which also led Malaysia to reciprocate by not allowing North Korean nationals in Malaysia from leaving this country.

A diplomatic conflict cropped up between Malaysia and North Korea following the lack of agreement on several matters concerning the killing of Kim Jong-nam, the stepbrother of North Korea’s top leader Kim Jong-un at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) on Feb 13.